Device for printing labels



` Jan, 1964 J. s. DUDLEY DEVICE FOR PRINTING LABELS 2 Sheets-Sheet lFiled Nov. 7, 1962 NNNNNNbNN @www5 Jan. 7, 1964 J, s, DUDLEY 3,116,686

DEVICE FOR PRINTING LABELS Filed NOV. 7, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

United States Patent O This invention relates particularly to a devicefor printing and dispensing peelable labels mounted in succession on aribbon at spaced intervals, lthe labels being mounted on the ribbon withpressure-sensitive adhesive so that they i may be peeled off the ribbonand applied to an article by means of the pressure-sensitive adhesive.Such devices involve the problem of registering each label with theprinting means so that the printing is located in the same position oneach label. Owing to slippage of the feeding means, shrinking andexpansion of the ribbon, etc. it has not been possible to register thelabel wi-th printing means continuously throughout any substantiallength of ribbon.

Objects of the present invention are .to prov-ide a device whichproduces Iaccurate registry of each label with the printing meansnotwithstanding slippage, etc., which is simple and economical toproduce and which is durable and reliable in use.

The present invention involves a cyclic device comprising drive meansfor frictionally pulling the ribbon along a predetermined path duringthe early part of recurrent cycles with pauses during the latter part ofeach cycle, means adjacent the path for printing successive labelsduring the aforesaid pauses respectively, means for actuating theaforesaid means conjointly in synchronism, a stop riding on the labelsfor holding the labels in printing position successively, the stophaving a shoulder engageable with the leading edge of each label tocause the drive me-ans to slip on the ribbon when a label reachesprin-ting position, and means to lift the stop from the ribbon at theend of each cycle so that the ribbon is .free to advance again duringthe next cycle. Preferably the pulling means includes an oscillatorwhich pulls the ribbon when moving in one direction and lifts the stopwhen moving in the opposite direction. While the stop may be moved intooperative position by gravity it is preferably actuated by a spring. Inthe preferred embodiment the stop has a rounded shoulder and engages theribbon obliquely at an angle of approximately 30.

For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment of the invention isshown in the accompanying drawings in which -FIG. l is a section on line1 1 of FIG. 2 showing the device in printing position;

FIG. 2 is a plan view;

FIG. 3 is a view like lFIG. 1 with various parts omitted;

FIG. 4 is a view line like FIG. 3 showing the base plate replaced by aplate for labels of different lengths and with the parts in idleposition;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the base plate of IFIG, 4 removed; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a label strip.

The particular embodiment orf -the invention chosen for the purpose ofillustration comprises a frame consisting of side plates 1interconnected by a top 2 which is secured to the side plates by meansof screws 3. Fast to the top 2 is the stationary part 4 of a handleincluding the part `6 movable from the broken-line position to thefull-line position in FIG. 1. The movable handle 6 is fast to a U-shapedyoke comprising sides 7 which extend along the inner faces of the sideplates 1 and are pivoted thereto by means of a shaft 10. Pivoted on ashaft S is a feed roll 9 for feeding a tag strip S which is pressedagainst the roll by means of an idler roll 11 actuated by lee spring 12at each end of the idler roll, the ends of the shaft 8 being journaledin the side plates 1. Fast to one end of the feed roll 9 is a ratchetwheel 13. Pivotally mounted on the shaft S is an arm 14 carrying a pawl16 which is pressed against the ratchet wheel by means of a spring 17.Fast to the upper end of the arm 14 is a pin 18 extending through -asl-ot 1-9 in one of the sides 7 of lthe movable handle 6. As the handleis moved from the broken-line 'to the full-line position in FIG. 1 thevfeed roll is advanced one step by the pawl 16, the pawl sliding backover the ratchet wheel on the return stroke of the handle. Also mountedon the lower end of the arm 14 is a pin 21 for the purpose hereinafterdescribed.

T-he side plates 1 have upward extensions 22 to serve as bear-ings forthe pinion-.s 23 of a roll R of tag strip such as shown in FIG. 6,comprising pressure-sensitive labels L mounted -on a strip S of releasematerial from which the labels may be peeled easily. The strip feedsfrom the rol-l L downwardly over a guide plate 24 which is mounted onthe sides 1 by means of flanges 25 and thence under a knurled roll 26which serves to hold the strip against the guide plate 24. 'Ihence thestrip feeds under an idler roll 27, printing wheels 28 and an applicator`roll 29, the rolls 27 and 29 being pivotall-y mounted between the sideflanges 31 of a base plate 32 .which serves as a platen for the printer2-8. The strip Sy then feeds `over a peeling edge 35, thence along t-hebottom of base plate 32, Ithence between the Afeed roll 9 Iand thebacking roll 11 and thence out of the device. At the rear ends of theside flanges 31 are outwardly extending lugs 33 which snap into4openings in the sides 1. Intermediate the ends of the base -a pin 34extends through the sides 1 and the side flanges 31. To remove the baseit is necessary merely to remove pin 34 and snap the lugs 33 out of theopenings in the sides 1.

The printing wheels 28 are pivotally mounted between the sides 7 `of themovable handle 6 so as to swing from .the idle position shown in brokenlines in lFIG. 4 to the printing position shown in full lines in lFIG. 1and broken lines in FIG. 3. The printing wheels 28 are set by means of ahandle 36 projecting from one side of the device. When the printingwheels move to idle position they are inked by a pad 37 mounted on aU-shaped rocker arm 3S pivotally mounted on the sides 1 at 39. When theprinting head moves from idle position to printing position the inkingpad is swung out of the .way by means of a cam follower 41 bearing onthe cam-shaped end -of one of the sides 7 of the movable handle 6.Inasrnuch as this printing mechanism is conventional, furtherdescription is unnecessary for the purpose of the present invention.

At its lower end the guide plate 24 has side flanges 42 in which ispivotally mounted the aforesaid knurled roll 26 for pressing the labelstrip against the guide. The shaft 44 of the roll 26 extends outside theframe (FIG. 2)

so that the roll may be turned by hand in threading thedevice.Immediately in advance of the roll 26 is a stop pivotally mounted on theside flanges 42 by means of a shaft 45. The stop is U-shaped, comprisingupturned ends 46 and a crossbar `47 having a rounded shoulder 48 bearingon the label strip throughout the entire width of the strip. The stop isyieldingly pressed against the label strip by means of a coil spring 49.Fast to one end of the shaft 45 is a -pin 51 which extends into the pathof the aforesaid pin 21 of the arm 14. When the stop bears on the labelstrip between successive labels with the shoulder 48 abutting theleading edge of the next succeeding label, as shown in FIG. 3, the stripis held against further movement in response to the frictional driverolls 9 and 11. However when the pin 21 lifts the pin 51 to the positionshown in FIG. 4 the label strip is free to advance.

To adapt the device to labels of different lengths the distance betweenthe lines X and Y, the distance between the lines Y and Z and thedistance between the lines Y and W must be changed (FIG. 3). For thispurpose a separate base 32 is provided for each label length, thedifferent bases having the rolls Z7 and 29 and the peeling edge 35 indifferent locations lengthwise of the base. FIG. 3 shows a base for onelabel length and FIG. 4 shows a base for a shorter length of label. Forthe shorter labels the roll Z7 is offset to the left a distance a, theroll .29 is offset to the right a distance b and the peeling edge isoffset to the right a distance c (FIG. 4). By using base platescorresponding to different label lengths the printing wheels alwaysregister with the labels and the applicator roll 29 and peeling edge areproperly positioned to function as hereinafter described. This means ofadjustment to labels of different lengths is claimed in the copendingapplication of Wallace J. Satas filed on even date herewith.

Normally the handle 6 is in the retracted position shown in broken linesin FIG. l and both the printing head 28 and the stop `47 are in theretracted positions shown in FIG. 4. When the handle 6 is squeezed fromthe brokenline to the full-line position in FIG. l the label strip S isadvanced by the feed roll 9 through the medium of ratchet 13 and pawl16. During this advance of the feed strip the rounded-shoulder stop 47rides over the next label on the strip Sand snaps into the space betweenthat label and the next succeeding label. When the label under theprinting head is registered with the head the stop 47 abuts the leadingedge of the next succeeding label and holds the strip against furtheradvance by the friction feed wheel 9. While thus held at the end of theadvance of the strip, the printing head Z8 prints the label thereunder.When the handle 6 is returned to the idle position shown in broken linesin FIG. 1 the pin 21 on arm 14 engages the pin 51 to lift the stop 47away from the feed strip. Thus when the handle is again squeezed thefeed strip is free to advance again. As the pin 21 leaves idle positionat the beginning of the next cycle, the stop 47 is returned to operativeposition by means of the spring 49.

As the strip S is peeled over the edge 35 the foremost label isprojected under the applicator roll 29. Thus the foremost label may beapplied to an article by pressing against the article with the roller 29and pulling the device rearwardly to cause the roll 29 to roll over thelabel after pulling the tail end of the label off the strip S. This canbe done either before or after the handle 6 is released but preferablybefore. To adjust the device to labels of different lengths the baseplate 32 is replaced by a plate corresponding to the new label length asabove described.

`It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

For printing labels mounted in succession on a ribbon at spacedintervals, a cyclic device comprising drive means for friotionallypulling the ribbon along a predetermined path during the early part ofrecurrent cycles with a pause during the latter part of each cycle,means adjacent said path for printing successive labels during saidpauses respectively, means for actuating said means conjointly insynchronism, a stop riding on said labels for holding the labels inprinting position successively, the stop being inclined toward theribbon in the direction opposite to the ribbon feed and having a roundedend yieldingly bearing on the ribbon for engagement with the leadingedge of each label to cause said drive means to slip on the ribbon whena label reaches printing position, and means to lift the stop from theribbon at the end of each cycle so that the ribbon is free to advanceagain during the next cycle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS3,075,680 Bolinder et al. Jan. 29, 1963

